


Bugs and Boys and Big, Big Crushes

by Anonymous



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, i have so much to give him, probably, shino deserves a lot of love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-01-27 14:22:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21393619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: It wasn't until you weren't selected to be Shino Aburame's genin teammate that you even realized that you'd been holding your breath for the possibility. It wasn't until that moment that you realized you had been crushing on a bug boy throughout all your years in the academy. But you realize now, and it's time to do something about it, hopefully without scaring him off.This is the story of you, Ame Noko, wooing Shino Aburame and all thousands of his insects.(A second-person original character fic with a lot of love for Shino.)
Relationships: Aburame Shino/Original Character(s), Aburame Shino/Original Female Character(s), Aburame Shino/Reader
Comments: 20
Kudos: 125
Collections: anonymous





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! You may find that I keep starting new fics if you look at my profile. This is true. My mind is constantly bouncing between the many fictional men that I love. I counted tonight and I have over 23,000 words written for a total of five Naruto canon x OC ships. I'm just going to start making a fic for each one and piece together all the drabblings I've written! Here is my Shino fic. I love him so much. Buckle up. 
> 
> As always, no set update schedule because this is for fun and I want to make it good. This will span from the original Naruto series all the way into Boruto era, if I actually finish it.
> 
> I also have many drawings of this OC because I've had her technically since I was, like, 11, so I will sporadically add those for some flavor if y'all want.

Courting Shino Aburame is a slow process. 

It is such a slow process, in fact, that you're not sure you're really courting him sometimes. You know almost for a fact that he doesn't realize it; if you were so forward about it, you think he might run, not even from you, but from any kind of affection. He's.. clearly unused to it. This much you have gathered. 

You made friends with Hinata early on in your time training to be a ninja. You were both shy; her moreso than you, but it was a level of shy that you found solace in each other easily.

You're not entirely sure when you fell for Shino, on the other hand. Childhood love is like that, though. Maybe it was the time he held the door open for you; you're easy. 

Maybe it was the time he explained a chakra concept to you in excruciating detail, so much so that the other questioning students groaned and left halfway through, but your eyes shone as he broke it down for you. Before you could ever ask him to elaborate, he would answer the unspoken question--just rattled on like that for maybe five minutes before he ran out of steam. It was incredible to you.

Maybe it was the way you watched him dote on his bugs. Gentle. They would crawl over his hands, across his desk. It made your own skin crawl, just a little, but the way he handled them was so charming. You've never been a huge fan of bugs by themselves, but you feel comforted by him with his. 

Anyhow, when you were all assigned your first genin teams, you were a little disappointed not to be matched with him, and that's when you realized you'd even been holding your breath for the possibility. Specifically, it's when you realized you had some kind of butterflies (ha, butterflies) when you saw him. 

You know who was matched with him, though? Your good pal Hinata. She was conscious of your crush before you even were, so before you could even say anything, she was apologizing to you for being on his team instead of you, and promising she'd put in a good word with him if you ever came up. This heated your cheeks, but you thanked her. 

It was a very long time before a move was ever made, of course.

Perhaps it could be considered a move when you offered him medicine at the chuunin exams, but he seemed confused by this gesture since he didn't exactly get hurt. You were taking a page from Hinata's book, and it seemed much better in theory. Still, he took it and thanked you, his dorky voice thick with confusion. 

One day a bit after the exams, you approached the team with the intent to offer a lunch to Shino. You kind of guessed on what he liked, but it didn't matter anyway, because Kiba stood to accept your gift.

"Aw, thanks, you didn't have to do that!" he said.

"Wha…"

"You brought this for me, right? I  _ know _ it's not for Shino, haha. Or was this for Hinata?" he asked, thinking. 

"Well, no, it wasn't for Hinata--"

"Me then! Knew it. Thanks," he said with a wink, and this made you feel some type of way, looking over his shoulder at Shino and Hinata. Hinata's face was in her hands, knowing this was not how it was meant to go. Shino said nothing, you know, like he does.

You had kicked at the ground in your next moment alone, unable to believe what just happened. How dare he just take that! Not that you corrected him, but… how could you? You never planned on verbalizing to Shino that you made him lunch; how bold! You're a simple girl. You were going to present it to him and… well, run. You never got that far in the plan, did you?

Hinata comforted you after that failure, telling you it wasn't your fault Kiba butted in. She did note that Kiba talked about how it was sweet of you to do that, but he wasn't really into you that way. You  _ gagged _ at the thought of flirting with Kiba. There's nothing wrong with him, but… you have your eyes on one boy.

You thought perhaps you'd read up on bug mating and try to flirt with him in his own language, but the bug mating facts you found mostly just told you that bugs are  _ freaks _ . Like, in a sexual way. Female praying mantises biting off the heads of mates, cockroaches fucking anything that moves just in case, and… well, when you saw the phrase "traumatic insemination" you decided you were good for the day. You tried. You really did. 

You settled for trying to find him alone one day to give him lunch. You did indeed find him alone and offered him food.

"I don't know when I'll be seeing Kiba next. You may want to find him yourself," he said simply. 

"N-no, Shino, this is for you."

"Are you sure?" he asked. What kind of goddamn question is that?

"Um, yes?" you asked in return. You were still holding out the food for a few moments until he finally took it. Barely opening the container, he wrinkled his nose up. Or, you think he did, since he covers his whole face.

"I don't like food with strong smells. You'd be better giving this to Kiba after all," he said, bluntly, handing it back. You think, in that moment, that your soul left your body. Your hands remained outstretched holding the food for a bit too long. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Y-yes. I just. I wanted to. Sorry." Good words, dummy. 

"It's of no importance," he said. "You don't owe me food. The thought is kind, of course."

"Right," you muttered, scurrying away.

You ended up eating it yourself, because you're not giving it to  _ Kiba. _ You grumbled to yourself as you ate.

"Of course he doesn't like smelly foods. Dummy. What did you think?! You should've asked." You chewed, angrily. "Why do you have to like the most difficult guy to read?" Chew, chew, chew.

After a moment, you heard a bug buzz past your ear and waved frantically to make sure it was gone. You looked around for the source, but it was gone.

Weird. 


	2. A Good Wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You ask Shino about his taste in girls. He seems to know about as much as you do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this written for a while but couldn't decide how to add more to it before posting it. I've accepted that this is the chapter. Hopefully more will flow easily after this!

Shino may be the cutest boy ever.

This is an opinion that you and you alone hold, but you hold it steadfastly. You make excuses to watch him train with Hinata; Hinata is one of your dearest friends, and is a ride or die sweetheart, so she says you needed to watch others sparring and basically vouches for you to stare with googly eyes over her teammate. Shino regards you warily.

"You're not planning on studying my weaknesses and using them against me in battle, are you?" he asks, rather bluntly. 

"Shino!" snaps Hinata, though her voice is endlessly soft and couldn't scare anyone. 

"N-no? I just.. I just wanted to see how others fight. I don't mean any harm," you promise, but you're fidgeting with your sleeves. He stares at you through his dark glasses; you have no idea what expression his eyes hold right now, but you hope it's trustful. 

"Alright," he says, and just like that, turns to fight Hinata. They go at it for a bit--they actually seem to be fairly on par with each other. That is, until Hinata actually manages to get a hit in, which is no joke with the gentle fist. Shino stumbles back, calling a time-out.

\--------

"So… you like bugs?" you ask. It is the stupidest thing you have ever asked, but the words already left your mouth. Shino stares blankly at you. 

"I'm full of them," he says. 

"Right."

"Were you not aware of that? My clan has--"

"No, no, I was aware of it, I was just trying to make conversation. It was stupid," you admit. You've just sat down next to him on a bench, eager to talk to your crush, but evidently incapable of actually making a real conversation.

"Why," he says.

"Why what?"

"Why were you trying to make conversation."

You blink, pausing before answering. "People really don't do that often with you, do they?"

"No."

"Right. Well. I just wanted to talk to you. But I feel like every time I try to you ask why, or think I'm trying to spy on you or something." It's frustrating, really, because it always goes like this. Maybe now that you're saying something, it'll change, though.

"A shinobi must be wary," is all he tells you, at first. Then, "Especially someone unpopular like me."

"What if I just want to get to know you?"

"Unlikely." Ouch. 

His words are so short and blunt, but it's something that's always charmed you about him from afar, watching him shut down a conversation the moment he enters. Maybe charmed isn’t the right word, but it tickled you.

But you'd really rather he, well, actually let you talk to him.

"Maybe unlikely, but true," you say finally. "Hinata said you don't have a lot of friends. Do you want one more?"

"Would that… be you?"

"Y-yes?"

"It's always good to have allies, I suppose."

"I can be a good ally," you say. "I won't let you down. I promise."

Shino makes a soft "hmm" noise. This is a win. You will take it as such, and no less. 

\------

"What do you like in a girl, Shino?"

It's a question you ask as casually as possible.

"I'm not sure I understand," he says.

"Oh, come on, are you serious, Ame? Why would you ask him that?"

"Well, why wouldn't I?" you ask indignantly.

"Look at him! He doesn't get chicks. You're just rubbing it in."

"Kiba, that's not very nice," Hinata says as sternly as her soft voice can muster. 

"It's alright, Hinata," Shino says. "Kiba doesn't get any 'chicks' either."

"Not cool, man! I asked a girl out the other day!"

"Did she say yes?" Shino follows up with some genuine interest in his friend’s escapades.

"W-well." Kiba is red in the face now, realizing he's dug a hole for himself. "She said she'd get back to me."

"Oh, you're just rubbing it in his face," you tease, mimicking Kiba's tone from earlier. 

He and Akamaru both growl. "Hey--!" 

"I'm not," Shino counters, oblivious to Kiba's truth. "I hope she says yes when she responds, Kiba."

"I-I'm sure she will!" Kiba snaps, though the jig is up to everyone except Shino. Perhaps he thinks he can save face by keeping up the charade. You stick your tongue out and he says, "Oh, I don't have to take this! Let's go, Akamaru!" In moments, he is gone and so is his dog. 

You laugh, but Hinata quickly hurries off to check on him, because she's a better friend than you are. Or… maybe she's giving you space. 

"To answer your question," Shino continues after a moment, "I don't know."

"Huh?"

"What I like in a girl. I don't know," he tells you. "It's a bit difficult for those in the Aburame clan to find mates, as you might imagine. In the early days at the academy it was often joked to me that I'd be the last of my line, because I'm gross."

"Shino, that's horrible!"

"It's normal. People said the same of my father, but I'm here." His tone is almost smug that his father managed to find someone, yet simultaneously considering that he may not. He's staring off at Kiba and Hinata, or at least his head is turned that way. "But perhaps they're right. I don't tend to think about it."

"Do you.. like girls?" 

"Hmm." He thinks, and your heart starts to drop. "Yes, I think so."

"You think?"

"Like I said, I don't think about it. They're pretty, of course. If I'm lucky, I'm sure one will like me enough to settle down. Probably a quiet one. Or maybe not quiet. Definitely nice." He thinks longer. "Or maybe not. I don't know."

You laugh, "That's so vague!"

Shino shrugs. "Like I said, I'll find out when it happens. If it happens. I wish only to continue my clan's legacy."

"You don't want romance?"

"It's not a matter of what I want. It's just a matter of knowing that romance is for people more interesting than me."

"I think you're interesting!"

"Hmm." He puts away his lunch and starts to rise. "You're very kind, Ame. You'll make someone a good wife someday." And with that, he heads off. 

Is he letting you down easy or does he not realize? You can never tell. By now, Hinata has returned.

“Is everything alright?” she asks.

“I guess so.” You start packing up your lunch, shaking your head. “Shino told me I’d make a good wife someday.”

“I-isn’t that a good thing?”

“Well, I guess it’s not a bad thing, but I think he meant when I marry someone  _ else _ .”

“Ah,” says Hinata, soft as ever. “Well, there’s always time…”

“Oh, if there’s anything I know, it’s that there’s time. I don’t think I have any competition in this village. Anyway, how’s Naruto going? You asked him out yet?”

“No, no, I could never!” Hinata waves her hands and shakes her head, face heating up just at the notion. “I couldn’t possibly! There’s--there’s so many things that could go wrong! No, no!” She’s sent herself into an anxiety spiral, which you probably should’ve anticipated, but anything could do that, really.

Kiba has also made his way back over, inspecting his remaining teammate. “What’d you do to Hinata? You didn’t mention Naruto, did you?”

“What else would get her this worked up?” You chuckle. “I’m gonna get going. Make sure she doesn’t pass out, yeah?”

“Yeah, I got this,” Kiba promises, and as you walk away, Hinata continues babbling senselessly to herself about the boy that you’re sure she’ll marry someday. You have no real evidence, but, well, come on. Who can resist Hinata Hyuuga? She's adorable. 


	3. UPDATE: INDEFINITE HIATUS

Hey y'all! I'm super sorry to do this to you. I know people enjoy this fic because I still get comments. And Ame is not a dead character, by any means! I'm working on a toyhouse profile for her and my other abundance of OCs (for Naruto, Dragon Ball, Death Note, and a plethora of other fandoms). I have so many stories and ideas for all of my OCs. The only thing is that my fics, as they are, I have no direction for. And, like seeing a messy room, looking at my AO3 cluttered with fics I'll likely never finish in their current form makes me just not want to go into my AO3 at all, which means I'm not writing and posting ANYTHING, which feels worse.

But I know people hate seeing works deleted, no matter how unfinished. I know because I am one of those people. I did not know until today that I could post to an anonymous collection and get it off my profile without totally orphaning the work or deleting it entirely! So that's what I'm doing. So, if you liked this fic, fear not, I have no intention of erasing it from the internet!

I think I'm happier making drabbles and little comics and drawings and getting commissions of my OCs right now. I'm perfectly happy to share those, but I'm not sure the best format! You can come visit me at @justalilclown on twitter if you'd like to chat about OCs and stuff, or I might even make a twitter or tumblr dedicated to posting my OC stuff in a less formal setting than AO3. Feel free to comment (or hit me up on twitter!) (Or angelfishinamerica on tumblr but I check that way less) and let me know if you'd like me to do something like that! I really appreciate the people who tell me they like my characters. It means the world, seriously.


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